هيجسيث يشيد بصمود أفراد حاملة طائرات بعد مهمة حطمت الأرقام القياسية

Washington, Oct. 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stood on the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday and praised the resilience of its crew after they endured a long, war-imposed mission, despite questions raised about suicide attempts that occurred aboard.

The carrier Lincoln is scheduled to dock on Thursday in San Diego. The carrier is the flagship of a strike group that the Navy said witnessed eight suicide attempts among U.S. sailors during its deployment. According to the Pentagon, the deployment lasted more than 260 consecutive days without stopping in any port, a record.

Hegseth accused journalists of trying to portray the Lincoln strike group’s crew as failures instead of highlighting their heroism in the conflict, and conveyed to the personnel President Donald Trump’s appreciation for their achievements during the war with Iran.

Hegseth said the Lincoln’s accomplishments included sinking 64 Iranian warships, destroying 21 anti-ship cruise missiles, flying 3,693 combat sorties, firing 450 Tomahawk missiles and using 1.37 million pounds of ammunition against Iran.

He added that despite the fast pace of combat operations, there were no reported deaths or injuries and the carrier experienced no aviation accidents.

Naval deployments typically last between six and nine months, but can be extended during conflicts. Mental health problems resulting from long deployments often pose a challenge for the U.S. Navy.

Hegseth acknowledged some challenges on board the carrier, saying, "Replenishing supplies was not easy."

The carrier’s return comes at a critical stage in the war between the United States and Iran, which has shaken global energy markets and placed political pressure on Trump and his Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for November.

Trump is weighing next steps toward Iran, including whether to escalate strikes before the elections or afterwards, while continuing a maritime blockade intended to intensify economic pressure on Tehran to push it toward an agreement to end the conflict.

Source

Agency Reuters